The former premier’s wife was diagnosed with lymphoma — a cancer of the lymph nodes — in August last year. She has since undergone several sessions of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Initially she showed signs of improvement but as of late her condition has deteriorated.

The 68-year-old Kulsoom Nawaz was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan for the first time in by-polls held in September last year. She filled the seat that fell vacant after her husband, Nawaz Sharif, was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case.